If you are in the lodging industry, you know that it is almost impossible to run a successful business without having the ability to process credit cards. In fact, many lodging businesses rely upon their ability to process credit cards in order to keep themselves financially protected and to ensure they receive the payments they are entitled to. In today’s day and age, offering the ability to pay by credit card is almost a necessity for business in the lodging and travel industry.

Making Reservations with a Credit Card

Before the era of credit cards, allowing customers to make reservations was a somewhat risky endeavor. After all, it is easy to call a hotel or other travel- tour related business and make reservations – but you can never be too certain the person will actually show up. If the person that made the reservations doesn’t show up, you lose out on that payment and you may not be able to recoup the loss.

With credit cards, you can allow your guests to hold their reservations with some form of payment. If they do not cancel by a certain agreed upon time, you can then keep a portion of the money you would have received if they had kept their reservations. In that way, you aren’t stuck without the money you thought you were going to receive.

Making reservations with a credit card also makes things easier on your customers. While you can certainly ask them to send you a check or a money order to hold their reservations, allowing them to pay with a credit card allows them to complete the transaction quickly and easily. In addition, it is actually less paperwork for you because your credit card transactions can be easily maintained in one account without you having to enter extra data on your own.

Receiving Payment for Damages and Other Costs

Another benefit to having your customers use a credit card to pay for lodging and other travel-related expenses is the fact that you have the payment information if you need to collect more funds after the person is gone. In the travel industry, you can see hundreds or even thousands of people every day and finding that person again later can seem almost impossible. If you find later that your hotel guest owes you more money for causing damage to a room, for example, you may have difficulty finding that person in order to obtain the compensation you are entitled to receive. If you require your guests to pay with a credit card, on the other hand, you will still have the credit card information on file and you can bill the person accordingly.

Whether you own a hotel, motel or lodge, it is beneficial to you and your customers for you to accept credit cards for payment. The same is true if you sell travel shares, provide transportation, or offer any other service within the travel industry.

If you are looking for the most efficient and cost-effective method for offering your customers the option of paying with a credit card, contact America Processing today. We will be happy to help!